In the computer world privacy issues have been huge, and the OnStar service is highly integrated with computers and information. It seems that recently OnStar made a change to its “terms and conditions,” of owning and using their service.  Sidestepping the legalese, these terms and conditions generally stipulate that GM can not only track your vehicle, but it can use important vehicle data gathered from users and sell that data to third parties.

On the web this is done via what is known as cookie files and has been going on since day one. It’s a contributing factor to us all having overflowing spam boxes when we use free email services like Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail, the owners of these services sell our information…after all, free isn’t really “free.”

In this case GM, who owns OnStar, can sell the service and owns the information it gets. Most new car owners get the service free for a specified period as a trial, and in so doing are accepting said “terms and conditions.” No one is operating outside of the law here, but now that the cat is out of the proverbial bag, some people are loudly crying foul.

Senator Charles  Schumer, a prominent Dem from New York, is calling for a full investigation into OnStar’s change of policy. “By tracking drivers even after they’ve canceled their service, OnStar is attempting one of the most brazen invasions of privacy in recent memory,” Schumer stated. “I urge OnStar to abandon this policy and for the Federal Trade Commission to immediately launch a full investigation to determine whether the company’s actions constitute an unfair trade practice.”

Keep in mind that it was the Democratic party that backed the President in the bailout of GM and Chrysler, so in many ways General Motors is walking on thin ice. Having said that, GM is not budging from this privacy policy change. I’m sure that their lawyers have spent a lot of time and money to make sure the company line is a safe one, but this could be an area where added publicity could hurt them in public perception.

In a move to explain policy, Joanne Finnorn, VP of OnStar Subscriber Services, issued a video explaining the changes. On the video she points out that OnStar will not monitor continuous speed and location of vehicles. That information   is in the memory of the car and systems and can be accessed. She also said OnStar does not have the capability to eavesdrop, though there is a voice connectivity between the driver and an OnStar representative. Finnorn also related that “OnStar will maintain a two-way connection to their vehicle unless they ask us not to do so.”

Here is where this policy starts to be like something computer users face in areas like downloading or receiving newsletters, it’s the “opt-in or opt-out” concept. Currently GM offers subscribers the “opt-out” provision, the user states that they do not want the company to use the information. Privacy people are calling for the “opt-in” provision so that users are being made more aware of what is at stake and given the chance to say no first. Granted, the issue is more than ‘who knows what first’, but if you’ve ever downloaded anything via the web you know you never take the time to read the EULA agreement, and you could be signing away your life without knowing it.

Clearly services like OnStar are valuable to consumers, you can even purchase an after market mirror with OnStar and subscribe to the service in a non GM vehicle. Infotainment is here to stay in the modern vehicle so this hiccup in the love affair may pass, but privacy issues will be a part of the argument against connected technologies for a long time.

For GM this move is one to increase profits, but remember that the government still owns about a third of the company and if you were to consider that like you would a large stock holder, GM’s position could be tenuous at best. If the movement against this policy change gets sticky, they very well may be forced to back off. Chuck Schumer will probably up the visibility of his stance and General Motors could look like the Pirates of Detroit…not what they want in an election year.

Last weekend my wife and I took a ride to Flagstaff, Arizona, driving through Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona. We live in a small town called Prescott, and I don’t get to see a lot of the new vehicles on local roads simply because the area is not that populated. However in Sedona alone I saw two Chevy Volts and a Nissan Leaf. The point here is not how many Volts are on the road, but that if we look, we’ll see the revolution in our everyday lives.

We try to highlight news in advanced drive vehicles, but if you really want the straight skinny go to our blogroll and click on AutoBlogGreen. They claim to Obsessively Cover The Green Scene and they absolutely do just that, with great writing, variety in stories and spot on opinions, AutoBlogGreen leads the way in online news.

Green News Recapped

The 26th Annual EV Symposium was held in LA last week. On the rostrum was industry legend, Bob Lutz, the guy who spearheaded the Chevrolet Volt and the car’s greatest champion. On hand to film the event was Dean Devlin, former actor, movie producer of films like Independence Day, and the guy behind “Who Killed The Electric Car.”

EVS organizers gave an E-Visionary award to the city of LA and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The mayor said he was thrilled to receive the award, but added that Angelinos still needed to do more. “If we’re the car capitol of the United States, we should be the electric vehicle capitol of the United States,” he said. The mayor also talked about how BYD and Coda Automotive are located in the city, then announced that Boulder Electric Vehicle will establish a west coast manufacturing facility in a state enterprise zone in the city.

A 123

The Detroit News just published reports that lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123 Systems is set to post a net loss of $125 million on revenue of just $10.9 million in sales for the first quarter of 2012.  The loss includes $51.6 million tied to replacing battery packs produced at the company’s facility located in Lavonia, Michigan.

The report also suggests A123 Systems will lower its revenue forecast for the year to $145 million to $175 million. The company originally projected it would generate between $230 million and $300 million.

Cheaper Batteries

On the opposite end of the spectrum in battery news is that Munich-based Roland Berger Strategy Consultants has done a study predicting that battery over production will lessen the price of the technology and that consumers will see a falling price by 2015.

This study  revels with a surge in electric-drive vehicle purchases, we could have a global glut  in li-ion batteries. World wide battery sales will total $9 billion by 2015 and will be marked by a “massive overcapacity.” In just three years about four million hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles will be produced worldwide.

Companies like, AESC, LG Chem, Panasonic/Sanyo, A123 Systems and SB LiMotive will control about 70 percent of the global market by 2015, and light-duty vehicles will account for more than 85 percent of the world’s lithium-ion battery demand..

Coda In America

Chinese automotive giant, Coda,  announced its first real deliveries of its all-electric Sedan will go to a  dealership in Los Angeles. The dealer will only get ten vehicles to start, but as overseas production ramps up Coda Automotive CEO Phil Murtaugh expects to see more available. Currently Coda assembles the Sedan in California, the bodies and powertrains are made in China.

Tesla S On The Way

Tesla has become the poster child for the hot EV’s on the road today. Their roadster is in the driveways of Hollywood stars like Leo DiCaprio and Jay, this guy has every great car made, Leno. Now the are extending their product line with the Model S, but the road from testing to production has been problematic.

Tesla’s Model S is said to have a 31 percent longer single-charge range than their Roadster convertible, and in testing  the Model S exceeded the company’s goal of a 300-mile single-charge range under a mix of city and highway driving.

The biggest battery you can get in the Model S is 85 kWh, while the Roadster has 56 kWh. Despite the news and release of the S into Tesla owned dealerships, the automaker announced a first quarter loss of $89.9 million.

Renault Zoe

Even if the Nissan Leaf has been struggling of late to gain a sales base in the U.S., French automaker Renault has big plans for it’s competition, the Zoe, at least in Europe…beat Nissan.

Renault will start selling the Zoe later this year, according to Automotive News, and to make sure they can compete with the Leaf, the company has slated annual production capacity for the Zoe at150,000 vehicles.  Nissan will be able to build just 25,000 Leafs at its Sunderland, UK plant when that comes online early next year.

Renault debuted the Zoe at the Geneva Motor Show in March, with an expected price of less than $21,000 in France and about $21,400 in the UK. The Zoe will have a single-charge driving range about 30 percent less than the Leaf.

Toyota Rav 4 EV

TMC has seen it’s share of hard times in the past few years, but they are back on top as the world’s largest automaker and have big hits in their new Prius c and the Prius Plug-In. Now comes news of the much awaited Rav 4 EV.

Toyota announced the all-new RAV4 EV pricing to be at an MSRP of $49,800, but with a conservative sales target of only 2,600 copies over the next three years.

Even though the RAV4 EV went from concept to production in less than two years, according to  Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. “we’ve created a compelling product,” with “full Toyota quality.”

That’s just some of the news that’s fit to print. This blog doesn’t really set our focus on advanced drive vehicles, but there are great strides being made in the green side of the automotive world and we want to make sure that we keep our readers informed as in this case, the revolution will be all over the WWW.

Perhaps you’ve never seen an AC Cobra or subsequent Cobra’s on a track, but you no doubt know the legend of the car, it’s evolution into Ford’s racing program, and the muscle car movement that followed.

Shelby won his first ever road race in an  MG-TC. By ’56, Carroll had amassed enough race wins to earn the title “Driver of the Year” from Sports Illustrated, a title he won again in 1957.

Racing overseas, Shelby won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 in an Aston Martin. He went on to build his masterpiece Cobra using a chassis built by AC Cars in England and powered by a Ford V8 engine. The Cobra Roadster won its first race in January of 1963.

Legendary drivers like  A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, and Phil Hill raced the Shelby Cobra with great success. By 1964 Shelby introduced a big block 427 into the Cobra and challenged Ferrari’s dominance in European road racing

Starting in ’65, Shelby began his long relationship with Ford who saw racing as a way to sell cars in the U.S. The old adage of win on Sunday, sell on Monday held true for Ford’s commitment in racing beyond  just stock cars. The legendary Shelby GT 350 was on the showroom floor and race track in 1965. That year, Shelby secured the FIA World Championship of GT cars.

By 1966, a Shelby-backed Ford team swept the top three positions at Le Mans.  Shelby’s team would go on to win Le Mans again the following season. Another Shelby designed car, the Ford GT40 ended up in first place four straight years from 1966-1969.

The GT350 claimed the Trans Am title in 1967, ironically the last year Ford produced the 427 Shelby Cobra. Ford’s commitment to road racing was winding down and Shelby’s partnership with them ended in  1970.

A decade later Lee Iacocca, once head of Ford and the man behind the Mustang, approached Shelby about building high-performance versions of Dodge products. Carroll was heavily involved with both the Dodge Viper and again at Ford in redesigning their Ford GT, a modern, street legal version of the GT40.

Carroll Shelby was inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

Last month we posted a story about how a survey done by R.L.Polk found that only 30% of hybrid owners would actually purchase another hybrid when it came time for a new vehicle. When you consider the great mileage improvement hybrids have over gas engine cars, you’d think sticking with the hybrid would be a no brainer. Furthermore, when one considers that Toyota sells more hybrids that any other company worldwide and continues to be a market leader in quality, it would stand to reason that Toyota would be losing market share at record pace, but such is not the case.

Toyota Takes The Crown

Despite a dismal last couple of years of recalls and natural disasters, Toyota has again been crowned, world’s largest automaker. Bloomberg reports that Toyota wears the crown in Q1, taking it away from GM with 2.49 million units sold compared to 2.28 million for our domestic leader. Volkswagen comes in a very healthy third at 2.19 million units sold.

Great news for Toyota, and a scratch on the head of logic, is that the new Prius Plug-In is the third-best seller in the Toyota lineup? Hold on Jimmy Olsen cub reporter, the Prius Plug-In is the third fastest selling vehicle in America!

Say What?

Boy, you’re ’bout as dumb as you look…Cars.com filtered their way through all of the sales data from April and found that the recently released Prius Plug-In is the third fastest-selling car in the U.S., spending  just five days on dealer lots. Jimmy boy, the average domestic car will sit on a lot for around fifty three days before it finds a new home…you do the math Einstein.

Speaking of a long stay at a dealer location, a Porsche Boxster, nice ride, stylish and sleek, will be homeless on average for 250 days. No wonder they purr so nicely when you give one a new garage.

Stay On Point Jim

Oh yeah, this was supposed to be about Toyota, my bad. According to Business Week, Toyota reported a $1.5 billion profit for the quarter, ending  a fiscal year in which it made $3.5 billion.

While Toyota saw sales growth in most of the world, North America was a weak point. Revenue for the fiscal year totaled $232 billion, down just two percent, but down none the less. The company did beat it’s financial forecast of $2.5 billion and expects 2012 to bring in $9.5 billion.

Best Year Yet

So Toyota is having a great year, that’s super man, but what about the rest of the industry? If you read our little blog, you will know that the industry is on a come back roll, so much so that the positive vibe is on the lips of the Pres. Of course he’s punching back at Mitt who wanted to let Motown fall, and the dude put his money where his heart was, now all that blood sweat and tears are paying off big time.

Bloomberg reports that if U.S. auto sales continue at their current pace, 2012 will be the best year for the industry since 2007. Ford remains strong, Sergio has Chrysler slim and swinging, the Dart promises to be a hit for Dodge and even Fiat is looking better with their cute little 500 selling better than ever.

Summer slowdowns are being cut off to keep up demand at Ford, and older plants in Ohio are coming back online, which will make those buckeyes happy.

A fair estimate for sales this year are projecting up to 14.3 million cars and light duty trucks. Big on the plus side for analysts are factors like a gradually improving economy and easier credit. It should be noted here that if this pace continues, 2012 will mark the third year of 10-percent gains, and only the fourth time that has happened since the Great Depression.

Luxury Vehicles

So Toyota is back on top for now, but what badge carries the luxury crown you ask? Surprise car fans, it’s not Mercedes, Lexus or BMW, but Audi. From what we’ve read at Autoblog, Audi has been a favorite of the  wealthy in China where sales rose 44 percent in April. According to an Auto News report European sales were only up 4.9 percent for Audi, with U.S. sales rising by 15 percent.

VW actually does have a luxury brand and it sold 125,200 vehicles in April, besting BMW’s 121,476, vehicles sold. Q1 marks the first time Audi outsold BMW since January 2011. BMW still holds the year-to-date lead with 478,030 units sold, compared to 471,300 for Audi.

Mercedes has fallen back by over 50,000 units, moving  418,246 cars in the first four months of this year. Mercedes vehicle sales are actually up 9.7 percent on the year.

Wrap It Up Already

So the picture for the industry continues to be rosy, sales are up in all sectors, despite polls about advanced drive vehicles seeming bad, the truth is the action on the sales floor and the Prius stable is selling well with their C, V and new Plug-In being top movers for the year so far. All in all it’s great to see everyone happy, auto jobs domestically seem strong and those who counted the American Automobile Industry out will probably be in the unemployment line come November. This cub reporter is a happy guy. Olsen….OUT.

A two percent gain in sales may seem small to the average reader, but the month had three less selling days and one fewer weekend. Couple these factors along with very few incentives offered in April and this small gain begins to look a bit better than the number represents.

“April gave the clearest indication yet that consumer motivation is high and that automakers feel little pressure to rely on incentives in order to keep sales churning,” said Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. “We’ll likely see incentives linger at these low levels until auto sales ease off the torrid pace we’ve seen so far in 2012.”

Keep in mind to that not every automaker had a banner month. Toyota did well, Honda struggled, VW seems to be on a major roll in sales as is Chrysler. Two of our big 3, GM and Ford actually performed a bit lower than this time last season, but Korea’s Kia and parent company, Hyundai continue to break sales records again in April.

Even with this small dip in sales, GM has increased its 2012 forecast to 14 million to 14.5 million which is pretty much in line with other automakers and analysts.

American Automakers In April

General Motors

GM reported April sales of 213,387 vehicles, down 8 percent from a year ago. GM’s performance was mixed Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet  had lower sales while GMC sales rose 5 percent in total and 17 percent on the retail side.

Buick sales fell 16 percent in total while their Verano sales have  increased every month since it went on sale last November.

Cadillac sales dropped by a whopping 25 percent. The new Chevrolet Sonic had sales of 6,387 units, a 38-percent increase. Volt sales totaled 1,462 units, compared with 493 last April.  Chevy trucks did well, the Silverado showed sales up 5 percent, and their Equinox sales were up by 7 percent.

Ford

New-vehicle sales at Ford slid a tad, 5 percent compared with April 2011. Total sales for Ford in April were 180,350, compared with 189,778 last year, however Ford sales were tracking 4.8 percent higher than through the first four months of last year, which saved the company’s Q1 numbers.

A 43.9-percent April plunge in sales for the Fiesta subcompact was shocking considering the rise in gas prices and its 5,139 units for the month fell well short of projections.

Year-to-date Focus sales are up 57.3 percent giving Ford a bit of balance with their smaller cars. Sales for the F-Series pickup line, was up 4.4 percent in April to 47,453 units. Ranger sales dropped to just 1,990 units as remaining stocks continue to be sold off.

April was a record month for the Edge pulling in 10,520 sales, while their revamped Explorer posted its best April since 2005, selling 13,419 units.

Chrysler

Chrysler had another big month with sales of 141,165, up 20 percent from last April marking its best April since 2008. “We recorded our 25th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth, and we reported our strongest quarterly profit in 13 years,” said Reid Bigland, president and CEO of the Dodge Brand and head of U.S. sales.

What made the news in April much better was that Chrysler’s sales increases were not accomplished with  large customer incentives. In fact the average incentive on a Chrysler model was $2,495 during the month.

Dodge sales were up 2 percent, its best April since 2008. Dodge is anxiously awaiting the launch of the new Dart in June. The  midsize Avenger sedan set an all-time sales record and the Challenger muscle car set a new April record for sales.

Chrysler sales increased by 56 percent for its best April in five years. All of its three models posted gains with the 200 up 61 percent, the 300 up an impressive 138 percent and the Town & Country minivan up 22 percent.

Jeep sales were up 19 percent for the brand’s best April since 2007. Chrysler said the Detroit plant that makes the Grand Cherokee will not be closed for a summer vacation as it typically does due to strong consumer demand for the SUV.

Just as Chevy and Ford had better truck numbers, Ram pickup sales rose 19 percent, their best April sales in four years.

Fiat, who has been struggling in the U.S. had its best sales month ever with sales of 3,849, compared with 882 units last April. Their 500, which is a huge seller in Europe is moving better with a souped up Abarth addition coming soon to America.

April as a month has been a mixed month sales wise, but one that showed the public that the bailouts have paid off and that the industry as a whole is strong. Of course we will keep a weather eye on summer sales numbers, but for now good news is really great news for cars.

Ford, GM, Chrysler,VW, BMW, Audi, Daimler and Porsche  will all demonstrate a single-port fast-charging system for electric vehicles at the Electric Vehicle Symposium dubbed EV26 in LA going on now. In a nutshell, DC-fast system combines  AC and DC charging capabilities and is said to be able to charge an EV’s battery system in as little as 15 minutes. The International Society of Automotive Engineers has officially tapped the system as the standard for fast-charging, which means that there will be one single system worldwide. No competing system, no confusion for consumers.

If you read the above list of automakers you’ll see that none are Japanese. In fact the best in Japan have their own ideas and technology in mind.

A so called CHAdeMO system has been proposed by the Japanese automotive industry with Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru being partners in the CHAdeMO Association. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that a potential battle is brewing on this issue.

When polled, many new car buyers would be interested in a cleaner technology, but as is normal, the roadblocks are important considerations to mass acceptance and must be overcome if all the R&D done by automakers is to pay off.

Pike Research said last year that annual revenue generated by makers of electric-vehicle charging equipment will increase more than tenfold between 2011 and 2017 to about $4.3 billion. The market is there, but is the technology? Any faster charging battery system will no doubt narrow the gap between driver expectation and EV success.

Press Release

Los Angeles, CA – May 3, 2012… Global automakers from the United States and Germany will demonstrate fast-charging technology that will enable the recharging of most electrified vehicles with compatible systems in as little as 15-20 minutes.

Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen have agreed to support a harmonized single-port fast charging approach – called DC-fast charging with a Combined Charging System – for use on electric vehicles in Europe and the United States. Live charging demonstrations will be conducted during the Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 (EVS26) May 6-9.

The combined charging system integrates one-phase AC-charging, fast three-phase AC-charging, DC-charging at home and ultra-fast DC-charging at public stations into one vehicle inlet. This will allow customers to charge at most existing charging stations regardless of power source and may speed more affordable adoption of a standardized infrastructure.

The International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has chosen the Combined Charging System as the fast-charging methodology for a standard that incrementally extends the existing Type 1-based AC-charging. The standard is to be officially published this summer. ACEA, the European association of vehicle manufacturers has also selected the Combined Charging System as its AC/DC-charging interface for all new vehicle types in Europe beginning in 2017.

The charging system design was based on the collaborative review and analysis of existing charging strategies, the ergonomics of the connector and preferences of U.S. and European customers. The Combined Charging System was developed for all international vehicle markets and creates a uniform standard with identical electrical systems, charge controllers, package dimensions and safety mechanisms.

The system maximizes capability for integration with future smart grid developments through common broadband communication methods regardless of the global location of the charging system. The combined charging approach will reduce development and infrastructure complexity, improve charging reliability, reduce the total cost-of-ownership for end customers and provide low maintenance costs.

Commercially available combined charging stations are projected to be available later this year. All committed OEMs have vehicles in development which will use the Combined Charging System. The first vehicles to use this system will reach the market in 2013.

Here is the link to the EVS 26 website for more in-depth information. Click Here >>

Like anything in our modern lives, opinions change. At one point doctors told us that an aspirin a day was good for you, this week it’s unhealthy. Changing opinions are in the automotive world as well….case in point, teen texting.

Critics have pointed out that a ban on texting while driving could well lead to more crashes because drivers hide their cell phones and text regardless of the rules. OK, makes sense right…well perhaps not.  A recent study released last week found that texting while driving is unsafe regardless of where the phone is positioned.

The study by the Pediatric Academic Society found that there is no safe position that makes texting less dangerous.

“Any texting while driving has an adverse impact on driving performance among teenage drivers under simulated conditions,” said study adviser Mark D. Fox, associate dean for Community Health and Research Development at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine.

This study was part of a project called Generation tXt. What adds to the credibility of the study is that the questioning was done by student leaders while faculty from the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine served as advisers to the project.

As studies go the sample group was not large, just 30  students ages 15-19 were participants. These student leaders used driving simulators under three conditions: first, driving without a cell phone, second texting with the phone hidden so they had to look down to see texts and the phone,  and the third example was texting with the phone in a position of the participant chose.

According to the report, these driving simulators recorded unintentional lane shifts, speeding, crashes, near crashes and other driving infractions in all cases.

“The results showed the teens consistently drove worse when texting, regardless of whether the phone was hidden,” said the study’s authors.

One thing is for sure…distracted driving is a reality in modern motoring. The jury is out on the issue of hands free devices like the ones that use a smartphone in the vehicle. Texting is not relegated to just the gen tXt kids, we all do it and we as drivers need to be aware of the dangers. Let’s just hope studies like this one get the publicity it deserves and our kids drive safer in the future. As parents we can’t have our most precious gifts in harms way.

Just a few short years ago Ford’s North American operations were so off their game that they were dragging down its earnings for the global operation. In 2009 Ford had net loses of $1.4 billion in the first quarter, domestic market share was falling fast, but rising overseas. Now three years later that situation is reversed as the company reported a first-quarter net income for of $1.4 billion on the strength of sales here at home.

Europe And Asia

In Europe, Ford reported operational losses for the quarter of $149 million US. Hardest hit was a lesser demand for both parts and accessories.

Revenue from Asian operations fell by just $95 million, but for different reasons. Highest on the list was that the company has made significant investments in new plants in the region to increase production for vehicles sold in various markets. Ford attributes other losses during Q1 to higher tax expenses and special charges.

Ford’s North American operations reported a pre-tax operating profit of $2.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion last year and the highest quarterly profit here since 2000. Revenue here was $18.6 billion, up $700 million from the same quarter last year. Ford’s global quarterly revenue is reportedly around $32.4 billion, which was down $700 million.

Ford Motor Company put out a lengthy press release this morning, which gives more precise numbers, along with detailed information about their global operational results for the year to date. I thought we’d just pass along the Cliff Notes version here.

Partial Press Info

North America: In the first quarter, North America reported a pre-tax operating profit of $2.1 billion, compared with a profit of $1.8 billion a year ago. This was the highest quarterly profit for the region since at least 2000, when the company started reflecting North America as a separate business unit. The operating margin also improved to 11.5 percent from 10.3 percent a year ago. The increase in profits is explained by favorable volume and mix – mainly higher U.S. industry volume, higher net pricing, lower contribution costs, and lower compensation. This was offset partially by higher structural costs. Wholesales in the first quarter were 651,000 units, up 36,000 units from a year ago. Revenue in the first quarter was $18.6 billion, up $700 million from a year ago.

South America: In the first quarter, South America reported a pre-tax operating profit of $54 million, compared with a profit of $210 million a year ago. The decrease is more than explained by higher costs, primarily contribution costs, and unfavorable exchange rates. Although net pricing was favorable, the company was not able to offset exchange and economic factors to the degree it has in the past. Wholesales in the first quarter were 118,000 units, up 4,000 units from a year ago. Revenue in the first quarter was $2.4 billion, up $100 million from a year ago.

Europe: In the first quarter, Europe reported a pre-tax operating loss of $149 million, compared with a profit of $293 million a year ago. The decrease is primarily explained by lower industry volumes, lower demand for parts and accessories, and actions to reduce dealer stocks consistent with industry levels. Contribution and pension-related cost increases were offset partially by reductions in other structural costs. Wholesales in the first quarter were 372,000 units, down 60,000 units from a year ago. Revenue in the first quarter, which excludes sales at unconsolidated joint ventures, was $7.2 billion, a decline of
$1.5 billion from a year ago.

Asia Pacific Africa: In the first quarter, Asia Pacific Africa reported a pre-tax operating loss of
$95 million, compared with a profit of $33 million a year ago. The decline reflects higher costs associated with continued investment for future growth that precede the benefit of new products across the region. This was exacerbated, to some extent, by a slower-than-planned launch of the new global Ranger pickup truck from the company’s facilities in Thailand and South Africa. Wholesales in the first quarter were 217,000 units, down 25,000 units from a year ago. Revenue in the first quarter, which excludes sales at unconsolidated joint ventures, was $2.3 billion, up $200 million from a year ago.

Other Automotive: In the first quarter, Other Automotive reported a loss of $106 million, compared with a loss of $249 million a year ago. The improvement reflects lower interest expense related to the company’s 2011 debt reduction actions, and the non-recurrence of market valuation losses associated with Ford’s investment in Mazda.

The good news is that Ford is strong and getting stronger here in North America. A stronger domestic auto market means more jobs and portents to a brighter future…and let’s face it boys and girls, we all need some good news in our lives.

Being a staff of one, it’s impossible for me to really delve into the Beijing show, but look over our blogroll and you will see many links to great info about the happenings in China.

From what I’ve seen online, the show has more than it’s fair share of concept vehicles. In fact the Car Scoop blog has a whole section devoted to the Beijing show, Click Here >> to go to that section. You will see production vehicles, a bunch of concepts of everyday drivers, and some concepts that are just so far out looking your jaw will drop. My personal favorite is CH-Auto’s Lithia sports car concept with an electric motor fed by a set of lithium-ion batteries that offers a driving range of around 150 kilometers or 93 miles.

Speaking of environmentally friendly, advanced drive vehicles, Autoblog Green has the news from Beijing covered. Click Here >> to go directly to their auto show section. If it’s a Bug, BMW or BYD, Autoblog Green has a story about the car, and in the online world they are tops.

Since we’re on about concepts in this story, check out what Peugeot has to offer on that front. This is something I’ve never seen before and ABG has a lot of photos on their site. Click Here >>

If you don’t care as much about the story as the photo, click here to go to Google images. There you’ll see just about every car, truck, SUV, and concept on the Beijing floor, complete with Chinese models. They may have been rumbling around in rickshaws a century ago, but show planners know how to get a guy’s attention and some of the cuties beside the cars are stunners.

Apparently the luxury market is doing well in China. Quoting a CNN online report, Aston Martin launched its Dragon 88 China-only limited edition this week. With gold dragon emblems embroidered onto its leather seats, the car also carries a hefty price tag – more than 5 million yuan, which equates to nearly $800,000.

Chinese auto sales,which surged to 35% in 2010, showed signs of cooling in the first quarter of this year with just 2% growth. For high-end automakers like Rolls Royce, their bet on the China, their largest market, remains optimistic.

“It is really hard to predict growth rates, because when you look back nobody could have predicted the growth rates we’ve seen over the last couple of years,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Ltd. “Since last year, we’ve seen growth rates of 50 to 60%, something I would definitely would not expect this year, but there’s definitely sustainable growth to come.”

If it’s video you love, and who doesn’t these days, YouTube has lots to offer. Most of what you will see are visual stories on specific vehicles or from individual automakers, but it’s well worth your time to see what is on the floor at the Beijing Motor Show. Click Here >> to go to YouTube.

Here is one of my favorite videos, from Aston Martin…the audio is in Chinese, but the car is hot.

It seems clear that the afore mentioned poll went unnoticed to new car buyers in March because EV and hybrid sales increased dramatically at car lots across the country.

According to segment sales figures just released, domestic sales of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs increased 44 percent from this month last year showing 113,457 vehicles sold in March. Most notable is that number is double the sales made in January of this year.

Despite the fact that nationally, gas prices are inching up on $4.00 per gallon, sales of alt drive vehicles have been far less than expected, especially since new models have been coming into the marketplace from nearly every automaker worldwide.

As expected, the Toyota Prius lead the way, which clearly marked their comeback from recent setbacks in manufacturing and distribution. As reported, the Prius C has become their top new seller, with the larger Prius V close behind.

GM is fairing better in the segment with their new eAssist vehicles, most notably the redesigned Chevy Malibu, which hit the market two months ago.

Is It Hyperbole?

Of course with all the hype about the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, all media eyes are on both vehicles to judge the market. Sales of the Leaf  nearly quadrupled from the first quarter of 2011, moving 1,733 units in March.

Up to this point Bloomberg reported that “slow hybrid sales have brought a dose of reality” to the industry. Maybe they will change their dull tune with this latest round of sales increases.

All the media references aside, the experts have a different take on how the market is moving.  Analysts make a strong argument pointing out two factors helping to drive sales higher. First is pent-up demand, the supply of Japanese vehicles is coming back. Second are new models that are drawing people into the fold…examples are the smaller, more affordable Prius C, and the larger mini mini van idea of the Prius V.

“This year that supply problem has largely been solved, and you’re seeing increased demand on top of it,” noted Alan Baum, a hybrid industry consultant. “We’re going to see hybrid sales only get stronger in coming months.”

Toyota isn’t the only automaker moving hybrids.  In the first quarter alone, Hyundai sold 4,968 units of their hot  Sonata Hybrid, GM sold 1,767 Chevrolet Malibu Ecos and the Buick LaCrosse with eAssist sold 3,146 units nationally.

Within the segment  there are 41 hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs sold in the U.S. today, up from just 19 in 2008. Keep in mind that auto sales are up all across the board as of March and gas pricing continues to rise. Summer is coming and we will no doubt see more daily increases in fuel. Now that the advanced drive sector is selling better, the eyes of both analysts and media will sharpen…no longer can the segment fly under the radar. The next two quarters of 2012 will be crucial for EV’s, hybrid and plug-in hybrid’s to shine.

This kid is about to amaze you so hold on, click the video, and keep your hot rod ears open. 19 year old Daniel Jovanovic wow’ed the judges and crowd at this year’s Australia’s Got Talent with something totally different.

Check out the pit stop sounds  he does for the Formula 1 racer and how he shifts the other cars with his left hand like they would naturally do down under….I”m still laughing and I’ve watched this video a dozen times this morning. Seems the women in the audience and that cute girl judge think Danny’s act is pretty sexy! Perhaps there’s still hope for those of us who are terminally geeky!

So far in the past month or so we’ve told you what now seems to be conflicting facts, chief among them was the story we did on the lack of loyalty from hybrid buyers. You may not recall the article, but to recap, a study was done showing that only 35 percent of hybrid owners said they would purchase another hybrid vehicle when the time came. The flip side of that coin is that as of March 2012, the new Toyota Prius C was the fastest selling car in America.

According to the folks at Edmunds.com a new Prius C has a short time to rest on a dealers lot, eight days is the current average. As noted, the average time it takes a vehicle to move is hovering at 53 days. What’s more impressive is their top 20 fastest selling vehicles had no higher than a 21 days-to-turn rate.

Big Sellers

Forget about the troubles Toyota has had in the past two years, and there have been plenty, the brand is moving iron like hungry greyhounds on a race track. Despite all the hoopla about the lack of owner loyalty, Toyota’s hybrids are selling briskly across each segment.

On Edmund’s list are the Toyota Camry Hybrid, their Highlander Hybrid and two from the Prius line,  the V and C models. Perhaps Japan’s numero uno didn’t get that loyalty memo?

The Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen has been selling well, but most of that has been in filling past orders. Still VW is rocking like in years past, 2012, albeit still in Q1, is said to be their best in nearly a decade.

New, or highly revamped models seem to be all the rage with buyers domestically.  March top 20 fast-sellers include the sporty Lexus GS 350, Mazda’s new CX-5 SUV, the Subaru Impreza,  Honda CR-V, which got a facelift this season, and Porsche’s Cayenne SUV.

Keeping with the hot selling Sport Ute’s are two from Audi, the Q7 and smaller Q5.  The classic A6 sedan is on the list, but that’s not surprise to anyone. News is that Audi is set to make a run at the American market and will open a plant here before 2018.

Also hitting the list from European automakers are the 2012 North American Truck of the Year, the Range Rover Evoque, and two from BMW, the U.S.-built X3 and the X6.

Hyundai has seen amazing growth as a brand, and acceptance of their vehicles put the small Accent on the hot list along with their new Veloster and the 2012 North American Car of the Year winner, the Elantra.

Sister company to Hyundai, Kia saw one fast mover to make the list, which should make more hamsters dance.
The boxy Kia Soul has a place in American driveways and owners seem quite pleased to drive one.

Making It Easy To Get Your Best Deal

Keep CarQuoteASAP in mind if you plan to purchase a car, truck or SUV this year. What we do is save you money, by helping you find your best local deal. If you don’t know how it works we’ll tell you it’s very simple.

First go to our website or use the form on this blog. Next you let us know what make and model of new vehicle you want to purchase and include your basic contact information. Lastly you give us a couple of business days to find your best deal, keep your ear to the phone and a local dealership will contact you. It’s just that easy to get your best deal, save money and get yourself into the car you want. So if you’re ready, click here to start the process….you’ll be glad you did.

New New Mustang

It’s safe to say that over the past number of years most car lovers have been interested in the retro styling phase automakers have been involved with…cars like the New VW Beetle, the Mini Cooper, Chevy’s Camaro, and the Mustang. The older of us fondly remember those cars in their original incarnations, and as a sales tool, releasing a retro vehicle has been a winning strategy. A good part of the sales demographic has been the baby boomer generation. One look in the mirror will tell anyone that we’re getting pretty grey. Ford is seeing a new age on the automotive horizon and is poised to buck the retro trend with their next generation Mustang.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the new Mustang will take styling cues from the Evos concept  that debuted at last year’s Frankfurt auto show.

In the retro race, the Camaro has soundly out sold the Mustang, but the dudes from Dearborn are not tossing the towel just yet…they feel bringing a new design to market will bring a younger and much needed demographic into the Mustang stable.

The 2013 model is expected to go on sale in late spring with the top-line Shelby GT500 touting 650 ponies under the hood. By the way, the hot looking car in the photo above is the New Mustang. Oh yeah….believe it fans.

More From Ford

EV’s are about to take center stage this summer, at least in the racing world. Ford has announced the company is going to provide a Focus all-electric pace car at the Richmond 400 on April 25. Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is slated to drive the EV to Richmond International Raceway. No word on who will actually pilot the pace car, but I’m free that weekend! Should I hold my breath in hopes of an invite?

Hubba Dub

VW is looking strong again, worldwide. In a press release last week it was stated that first-quarter deliveries by Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand exceeded 1.3 million for first time, with a 10.5 percent sales increase  from January to March. The brand also posted a new delivery record of 536,600 units for the month, up 14.6 percent selling more than half a million vehicles to customers in a single month for the first time.

It’s All About The Benjamen’s

When you hear a certain political party complaining about how the auto industry did not deserve to be helped a few years ago here are a few facts for guys like Mitt Romney to consider.  According to the Center for Automotive Research, the industry accounts for $135 billion in annual taxes, that is 13 percent of all state taxes coming from the automobile, or $91.5 billion in total.

In a recent report, CAR estimates that auto sales account for $564 billion, and parts, repairs and other services add another $173 billion in revenue to our great nation. Experts have pushed up this year’s expected auto sales to near  14 million units, which should help increase revenue estimates move close to the $1 trillion mark.

A good portion of this national income goes toward new roads. Of the $43 billion that ends up in federal coffers, $29 billion comes from fuel taxes alone.

Is More Actually More

If you’ve been looking for a new vehicle this year here is a bit of bad news. According to TrueCar.com the average selling price of a new car in the U.S. reached $30,748 last month, an all-time record.

Buyers are looking toward smaller, less expensive, more fuel-efficient models, and automakers are keeping production more in line with demand.

Manufacturers want buyers to think that small cars now carry significantly more content than before, but  more is costing more as the average sale pricing will attest. An unfortunate side effect has been a significant drop in factory based incentives.

CarQuoteASAP

Keep CarQuoteASAP in mind if you plan to purchase a car, truck or SUV this year. What we do is save you money, by helping you find your best local deal. If you don’t know how it works we’ll tell you it’s very simple. First go to our website or use the form on this blog. Next you let us know what make and model of new vehicle you want to purchase and include your basic contact information. Lastly you give us a couple of business days to find your best deal, keep your ear to the phone and a local dealership will contact you. It’s just that easy to get your best deal, save money and get yourself into the car you want. So if you’re ready, click here to start the process….you’ll be glad you did.

March was the best sales month since August 2007, closing the best first quarter since 2008. “Everything points to pent-up demand being released,” said Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. “March was the litmus test for 2012 after a strong January and very strong February,” noted Caldwell. “The fact that we continue to see pent-up demand unleashed bodes well for the rest of the year.”

Best Of The Big 3

Breaking down sales for March is a good way to see just how well each company performed and which vehicles are selling successfully for that automaker. Of course not all models saw measurable increases in sales and we’ll report the bad with the good.

General Motors

General Motors reported March sales of 231,052 vehicles. According to Edmunds, that is an increase of 12 percent from a year ago, but under performing from the companies expectations.

GM’s best performing vehicles came from the compact, midsize and smaller crossover SUV segments. Monthly sales included a record sales volume of 100,000 cars and crossovers that rate 30 mpg highway rating or better. GM reports that 42 percent of all of vehicles sold were equipped with fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines.

Of all vehicles in the Chevrolet stable the Sonic sold 8,251 vehicles in March. Cruz sales increased by 20 percent to 21,607 copies, which was the seventh straight month of over 20,000 sales for the sub-compact. The Volt had its best month ever with 2,289 sold. The smaller GMC badge saw it’s Terrain sales upped by 34 percent.

Not all badges saw increased sales numbers however. The Buick Verano did move 2,497 vehicles, but Buick overall lost 16 percent, and Cadillac saw sales skewed downward by 13 percent.

Ford

Ford sold 223,418 vehicles in March showing it’s strongest March sales since 2007. As expected, fuel efficient vehicles led the way as the Focus had it’s best March with sales of 28,293 units, up 65 percent from last season. Also showing it’s best in sales was the Ford Edge with 14,058 copies sold in the month.

Ford’s midsized Fusion sold well with 28,562 vehicles leaving showroom floors.

Surprisingly, trucks did well for the Blue Oval as their F-Series sales climbed 9 percent to 58,061 units giving Ford trucks their best March since 2007. Ford said 41 percent of F-150′s sold had their EcoBoost engines and 56 percent of F-150′s were equipped with V6 engines.

On the negative side of the sales curve came the Fiesta, which lost 34 percent on 6,502 vehicles moved. Full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator dropped.

Chrysler

Chrysler as a group showed very will selling 163,381 vehicles, a 34-percent increase from a year ago and its best monthly sales in four years.

Chrysler brand sales showed an amazing increase of  a 70 percent overall. The Chrysler 200 sales rose 121 percent, and  the larger 300 sales moved up 169 percent.

In the minivan segment, the Town & Country sales were up 32 percent to 12,476 vehicles. Dodge Avenger and Caravan sales climbed 18 percent.

All five Jeep models posted gains up by 36 percent. Sales of the Ram pickup truck also increased and Fiat had its best month ever with sales of 3,712.

As we’ve reported, the experts at Edmunds.com have stated publicly that the American auto industry is back and back in a big way. Let’s hope that these sales numbers keep moving forward as the domestic economy looks better every day.

Shock number one, according to Strategic Vision’s research, VW delivers the most value-packed new-vehicle product line among all automakers for 2012. Second place in the survey was a tie between Hyundai and Ford. Personally I drive a Kia and love the car, Kia is owned by Hyundai and I know the kind of product they make so that isn’t too big a shock, Ford is getting better all the time, but I would think that Toyota would rank tops in almost any survey.

“An important ‘time marker’ in this year’s study is that for the first time in over 10 years American manufacturers lead the number of Total Value winners with 11 segment leaders,” says Chris Chaney, Strategic Vision’s vice president and head of automotive research. “This is an important milestone toward the ‘domestic comeback.’”

Shock number two, at least for me, was the thought that anything other than small, Japanese cars would lead certain segments.  As part of the research results, General Motors took top segment positions with midsize cars like the Cadillac CTS and CTS Coupe, Corvette, the GMC Yukon, and the Chevy Volt!

Ford showed a few surprises of their own with midsize category leaders like the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Mustang Convertible, the Flex crossover SUV and three pickups in their F150 and F250 and F350 trucks.

For me the real kicker was that four hybrid and electric-powered models were tagged by Strategic Vision as being top values in their categories. The big winners here are the Chevrolet Volt, Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Leaf and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid.  According to Strategic Vision these four vehicles did well because of wider marketplace acceptance, the overall desirability for alternative-fuel vehicles, and the perception that EV’s and hybrids are becoming better values as gasoline prices continue to escalate.

Strategic Vision president Alexander Edwards said  “Even though the median price of a Chevy Volt was $43,000, owners believe that for every dollar spent, they got more than did buyers of other vehicles.” Edwards added “Customers had tremendous value appreciation for Volt’s technical innovation, warranty, standard equipment and certainly fuel economy.”

This Total Value Index also included a few “smart luxury” cars that deliver value for the money.  These include two from Audi, the A8 sedan and Q7 SUV, BMW showed well with their Z4 roadster and Volvo’s C70 convertible and XC60 crossover SUV made top marks.

About this category, Chris Chaney noted “Smart luxury is the new trend for those segments that are premium, but within the reach of more customers who appreciate innovation, an exceptional array of standard equipment and present a strong value-equation. You will be hearing about smart luxury more and more in the near future, even if the economy takes sure-footed positive steps.”

I have to admit that I’ve never heard of Strategic Vision, but the company claims its Total Value Index study is the most inclusive in the industry. “In addition to vehicle perceptions, we know what political party the owner claims, their personal media habits and hobbies, as well as what ethnicity they claim,” Chaney explains.

The company’s  Total Value Index ratings are computed on a 1,000-point scale. Their evaluations are based on extensive owner surveys that consider 442 separate new-car attributes, including a vehicle’s negotiated transaction price, standard equipment, fuel economy, warranty, reliability, resale value and operating costs and various aspects of customer satisfaction.

Like I said, a few surprises in the mix, but overall, it’s good to know that some company cares enough about the industry to find out what people like and their results may not be mainstream, or predictable…everyone likes a good surprise now and then.